Garbage everywhere, no water

(During BBMP election 2010, a series called poll ward was started, where reporters had to highlight major ward problems)

Poll-Wards: Hebbal

THINK of Hebbal, and what comes to mind is the Hebbal lake, the flyover and the veterinary college… However, for people residing in this area, basic civic issues such as garbage collection and availability of water are big problems. Deccan Herald gives an insight into some of the key problems faced by residents of Sanjaynagar ward, one of the biggest wards in the Hebbal constituency.

The Federation of Resident Welfare Association of Sanjaynagar (FRWAS), which comprises of 27 RWAs, has proposed to put up its own candidates for the forthcoming Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) polls.

The federation had shortlisted at least six candidates, but due to the change in rules, they now have to select and shortlist an SC and BC B section women candidates for wards 18 and 19 (Radhakrishna Temple ward and Sanjaynagar ward).

Garbage menace
Irregular collection of garbage is one major problems in Sanjaynagar. “Four years ago, the BBMP decided to conduct door-to-door collection of garbage. As a result, all the garbage bins in the area were removed. However, this system has collapsed and people are throwing garbage everywhere now,” said V Sathyamurthy, president of Resident Welfare Association, Sanjaynagar. Complaints to the Palike have not helped resolve the problem.

Water supply is another problem. “The supply has reduced in the last six months forcing us to buy water from private water tankers, who charge a lot. Although, the BWSSB has said that they are laying new water pipelines, we don’t know when it will be commissioned,” said Sathyamurthy.

Road work
The main road from Sanjaynagar to Hebbal Ring Road was developed by the BBMP under the World Bank funding, said Sathyamurthy. Unfortunately, the road was recently dug up by BWSSB to lay the water pipeline. “We got a good road after so many years and in two years they destroyed it,” he lamented.

“The water pipeline project was supposed to have been completed in October, 2009. However, I don’t think even half the work is done,” remarked R C Dutt, convenor of FRWAS. The Federation holds meetings regularly and invites BWSSB or BBMP officials but no one turns up, he added.

The roads have also been dug up for installing storm water drains. While in some places the work on storm water drains have been completed, it is of no use. Retired Air Commodore Deshmukh pointed that the drains built in some of the areas have openings that are few in number and small in size.

In some areas, the stone ledges covering storm water drains act as footpath and are higher than the road level. “How will the water flow into the drain? This shows that no thought is put before implementing a project,” he said.

For residents of Dollar’s Colony, illegal slums are a cause for concern. Mala Bhatt, one of the residents, said that a slum has come on BDA land with around 40 families. “We see a huge pile of hospital waste like saline packets, every morning, dumped on top of the storm water drain. The waste will eventually choke the drain. We have complained to different departments to shift the slum but to no effect,” she said.

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